A board game assembly and method of playing same

ABSTRACT

A board ( 20 ) game includes kill zone spaces ( 32 ) on the board for allowing players, upon landing on a kill zone space ( 32 ), to hire an assassin to make an assassination attempt on another player. The player exchanges play money for an assassination card that is categorized into one of multiple levels representing the skill level of the assassin hired. The higher skilled assassins require more play money and are more likely to succeed in assassinating their target player. Similarly, the lower skilled assassins require less play money and are less likely to succeed. To succeed in assassinating a target player, the player making the assassination attempt rolls a pair of dice and compares the number shown on the dice to the numbers listed on the assassination card. If the number shown on the dice equals one of the numbers listed on the assassination card, the attempt is successful and the target player is eliminated.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit of provisional application Ser. No. 60/784,814 filed Mar. 23, 2006.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The invention relates to a board game assembly for playing a game by a plurality of players.

2. Description of the Prior Art

Board games have been very popular and vary widely in the methods of play as well as the physical layout of the game. Many of these board games include a board, a pair of dice for generating random numbers, and playing pieces that are assigned to each player. Generally the board has spaces that define a continuous path and players roll the dice and move the amount of spaces shown on the rolled dice.

One of the most popular board games is sold under the name “Monopoly” and involves the buying, selling, and renting of property for players to acquire wealth. Spaces on the board are divided into regions in which only one specified property can be bought in each of the regions. Players compete for the spaces on the board to own and improve upon with the building of houses and hotels. Players purchase these properties, represented by spaces, by exchanging play money for cards representing the property. These properties become economically viable for the player that owns them. Other players pay for landing on a property owned by another player. There are also chance spaces on the board on which players can land and draw a chance card. The player must perform the activity listed on the card which will either improve or worsen the player's position in the game. Eventually one player wins after every other player has exhausted their resources and is forced into bankruptcy.

U.S. Pat. No. 3,955,818 discloses a board game wherein players similarly move their playing pieces about a board having spaces defining a path. Disposed along the path are regions named after U.S. cities. An additional playing piece is also on the board and represents a hypothetical diplomat which also moves about the board. The diplomat is assassinated by one of the players and thereafter the players investigate to determine which one of the players assassinated the diplomat. For one of the players to assassinate the diplomat the following must occur: (1) the diplomat must have moved through a given region (2) the player must have the money playing card and the weapon playing card that is associated with the given region, and (3) any one of the player's playing piece must land on a space marked with an “X”.

Although the prior art board games provide entertainment, there remains a need for a board game that is fast paced and has clear objectives in addition to being entertaining.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION AND ADVANTAGES

The invention provides for a plurality of kill zone spaces each defined by one of the spaces on the board for allowing one of the players to make an assassination attempt on another one of the players to eliminate the other player. The invention also provides a method including the step of exchanging a predetermined amount of play money for an assassination card to hire an assassin to make an assassination attempt on another player for receiving an opportunity to eliminate one of the other players from the game.

The invention provides a board game that is fast paced due to swift transactions. There is no negotiation between the players and there are very few decisions to make, thus, creating a game which moves quickly and smoothly. The game provides suspense, risk, and exciting victories, and allows for any one of the players to win at any given time regardless of the amount of acquired play money. No player will ever fall into debt or reach a point where a victory is out of the player's reach. Furthermore, the invention may spark healthy or slightly controversial debate.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Other advantages of the present invention will be readily appreciated, as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a top view of one embodiment of the invention; and

FIG. 2 is a flow diagram (schematic?) of an alternative embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring to the Figures, wherein like numerals indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views, a board game assembly for playing a game by a plurality of players is generally shown.

The assembly includes a plurality of playing pieces for representing each of the players and play money that is distributed to the players. A game board 20 has a plurality of spaces that define a continuous path 22 generally indicated about which the playing pieces move. A random number generator is provided for establishing a number of spaces that one of the players is to move. The random number generator is also used to aid in establishing a random decision. The random number generated preferably is a pair of dice. The board 20 includes a start space 24 that is defined by one of the spaces and all of the playing pieces are placed there at a start of the game.

A plurality of chance spaces 26 are each defined by one of the spaces on the board 20 for altering the status of one of the players occupying the chance space 26. Players landing on one of the chance spaces 26 must draw one of a plurality of chance cards each having an activity listed on one side of the chance card, wherein the activity may improve or worsen the player's status. The chance spaces 26 may be labeled “situations and circumstances” and the chance cards may be similarly labeled “situation and circumstances.”

A plurality of trading regions 28 are each defined by at least one of the spaces on the board 20 for allowing buying and selling of specified commodities by one of the players in exchange for a portion of the play money when the playing piece representing the player is in one of the spaces of one of the regions. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 2, all of the trading regions 28 are named after real-world cities which preferably span six continents to appeal to people all over the world. The following is a list of cities that may be used as trading regions 28: Manila, Brussels, Copenhagen, Istanbul, Oslo, Havana, Baghdad, Rome, Berlin, Paris, Warsaw, Madrid, Cairo, Athens, London, Zurich, Moscow, Bogota, Sidney, Tel Aviv, Mexico City, Washington D.C., Hong Kong, Kingston, Singapore, Helsinki, Cape Town, Nairobi, Amsterdam, Dublin, Bombay, and Tokyo.

A plurality of commodity cards are included in the assembly for representing a purchase of a specified commodity by one of the players. Players buy commodities from one of the players labeled as the banker and sell commodities to the banker to ensure swift transactions with no negotiations. In one embodiment the commodities include oil, diamonds, technology, munitions, secrets, drugs, slavery, gold, and silver. Each trading region 28 is assigned one commodity that can be sold and one commodity that can be purchased. Each commodity may be associated with a particular city specifically to develop healthy or slightly controversial debate. For example, Washington D.C. may be assigned to secrets and drugs whereas Baghdad may be assigned to oil and munitions.

To ensure that the game would be mathematically sound, all of the commodities were valuated on a sliding scale, and the individual purchase price was directly related to availability. In other words, higher priced commodities appear less frequently on the board 20 than lower priced commodities. Higher priced commodities have a higher return, i.e., the higher priced commodities sell for a price much higher than the purchase price, but they are more difficult to acquire and equally difficult to sell. Conversely, lower priced commodities appear more frequently on the board 20 making them easier to acquire and sell; however, lower priced commodities sell for less than the higher priced commodities and have a lower return, i.e., the lower priced commodities sell for a price not much greater than the purchase price. It is up to each player to decide how they wish to invest. For example, the commodity silver may be the most abundant commodity on the board 20 to buy and sell and the least expensive to buy, but will have the lowest return when sold. In addition, a small number of commodity cards have no selling price to remind players that no investment has a guaranteed return.

The assembly is distinguished by a plurality of free trade spaces 30 each defined by one of the spaces on the board 20. A player landing on one of the free trade spaces 30 is permitted to buy and/or sell any one of the commodities in exchange for a portion of the play money. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 2, there are three free trade spaces 30 spaced about the path on the board 20 and a player is permitted to buy any two commodities and/or sell any two commodities when the player lands on one of the free trade spaces 30.

A plurality of kill zone spaces 32 are each defined by one of the spaces on the board 20 for allowing one of the players to make an assassination attempt on another one of the players in exchange for a portion of the play money. A player landing on one of the kill zone spaces 32 may, but is not required to, attempt an assassination on another player to eliminate the other player.

A plurality of assassination cards are each labeled as one of a plurality of categories for allowing one of the players to choose an assassin having a desired skill level associated with the category for making an assassination attempt. All of the assassination cards in any one of the categories have a group of predetermined numbers indicated on one side of each of the assassination cards for assisting in establishing the random decision of whether the assassination attempt will be successful. The player making the assassination attempt chooses one of the assassination cards and compares a random number generated from the random number generator to the group of predetermined numbers on the assassination cards associated with the desired skill level of the assassin for determining whether the assassination attempt was successful.

The method of playing the game involves assigning each player one of the playing pieces to representing the player. One player is labeled as the banker to distribute and collect play money and an equal amount of play money is distributed to each player by the banker. A random number is generated, such as by rolling a pair of dice, to established the number of spaces one of the players will move. A playing piece is moved about the board 20 the number of spaces generated by the player who generated the random number. In response to moving the playing piece, the piece lands on an end turn space.

If the end turn space is a chance space 26, the player draws a chance card and performs the activity listed on the chance card after drawing the card. If the activity listed on the chance card results in moving one of the playing pieces, the playing piece is moved about the board 20 the number of spaces listed on the chance card to land on a new end turn space.

If the end turn space landed upon by a playing piece is located in one of the trading regions 28, the player may buy the commodity associated with the trading region 28 in which the end turn space is located in order for the player to gain equity. Similarly, the player may sell the commodity associated with the trading region 28 in which the end turn space is locate in order for the player to convert equity into play money. Additional play money is distributed to any player who moves a playing piece to land on the start space 24.

The method is distinguished by a player buying at least one of commodities to acquire the commodity in response to the end turn space being one of the free trade spaces 30 for gaining equity. Similarly, if the end turn space is one of the free trade spaces 30 the player landing in the free trade space 30 may sell any one of the plurality of commodities to acquire play money. No specific commodities are associated with the free trade spaces 30 and thus the player chooses the commodity the player wishes to buy and/or sell.

If the end turn space is a kill zone space 32, the player must determine whether to attempt an assassination on one of the players. Additionally, if the end turn space is located in one of the trading regions 28 and another one of the playing pieces is located in the same playing region, the player must determine whether to attempt an assassination on one of the players. After one of the determining steps, if the player determines to attempt an assassination, another player must be selected to attempt to assassinate. If the playing piece is located in the same trading region 28 as the playing piece of another player, the player must select from the players located in the same trading region 28 as the player selecting another player on which to attempt an assassination.

After selecting a player to attempt to assassinate, a desired skill level of an assassin is chosen by the player making the assassination attempt. The skill level chosen determines the probability that an assassination attempt by the assassin on the other player is successful. After a skill level is chosen, a predetermined amount of play money is exchanged for an assassination card to hire an assassin to make the assassination attempt on the other player for receiving an opportunity to eliminate the other player from the game. The amount of money exchanged is directly related to the skill level of the assassin wherein a larger amount of play money is exchanged for a higher desired skill level and a smaller amount of play money is exchanged for a lower desired skill level.

A random number is generated to create a random decision as to whether the assassination attempt will be successful. The random number generated is compared to a group of predetermined numbers associated with the desired skill level of the assassin chosen to determine whether the assassination attempt by the assassin was successful. The player against which the assassination attempt was made is eliminated if the random number generated equals one of the group of predetermined numbers associated with the desired skill level of the chosen assassin.

Generating a random number is more likely to eliminate another player if a higher skill level is chosen and less likely to eliminate another player if a lower skill level is chosen. For example, there may be three skill levels labeled as amateur, expert, and professional. An amateur level assassin may have three numbers on its assassination card whereas the professional level assassin may have five or six numbers on its assassination card. Additionally, the numbers on the amateur level assassination card may be numbers that are less likely to be rolled by a pair of dice such as three and twelve, whereas the numbers on the professional level assassination card may be numbers that are more likely to be rolled by a pair of dice such as six and eight.

A random number is repeatedly generated to establish a number of spaces for each player to move continuing the game until only one player remains. As the players move about the board 20 buying and selling commodities, the players acquire play money. As the players acquire play money, they can purchase assassination attempts until all players but one are eliminated from the game by assassination.

Obviously, many modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in light of the above teachings and may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described while within the scope of the appended claims. That which is prior art in the claims precedes the novelty set forth in the “characterized by” clause. The novelty is meant to be particularly and distinctly recited in the “characterized by” clause whereas the antecedent recitations merely set forth the old and well-known combination in which the invention resides. These antecedent recitations should be interpreted to cover any combination in which the inventive novelty exercises its utility. The use of the word “said” in the apparatus claims refers to an antecedent that is a positive recitation meant to be included in the coverage of the claims whereas the word “the” precedes a word not meant to be included in the coverage of the claims. In addition, the reference numerals in the claims are merely for convenience and are not to be read in any way as limiting. 

1. A board (20) game assembly for playing a game by a plurality of players comprising; a plurality of playing pieces for representing each of the players, a board (20) having a plurality of spaces defining a continuous path (22) for movement of said playing pieces about said path, a random number generator for establishing a number of spaces one of the players will move, and characterized by a plurality of kill zone spaces (32) each defined by one of said spaces on said board (20) for allowing one of the players to make an assassination attempt on another one of the players.
 2. An assembly as set forth in claim 1 including a plurality of assassination cards each being labeled as one of a plurality of categories for allowing one of the players to choose an assassin having a desired skill level associated with the category for making an assassination attempt.
 3. An assembly as set forth in claim 2 wherein all of said assassination cards in any one of said categories has a group of predetermined numbers indicated on one side of each of said assassination cards for assisting in establishing a random decision of whether the assassination attempt will be successful, whereby the player making the assassination attempt chooses one of said assassination cards and compares a random number generated from said random number generator to said group of predetermined numbers on said assassination cards associated with the desired skill level of the assassin for determining whether the assassination attempt was successful.
 4. An assembly as set forth in claim 3 including a plurality of play money for distribution to the players wherein said assassination attempt is received in exchange for a portion of said play money.
 5. An assembly as set forth in claim 4 including a plurality of free trade spaces (30) each defined by one of said spaces on said board (20) for allowing buying and selling of any commodity in exchange for a portion of said play money when the playing piece of one of the players is in one of said free trade spaces (30).
 6. An assembly as set forth in claim 4 including a plurality of trading regions (28) each defined by at least one of said spaces on said board (20) for allowing buying and selling of specified commodities by one of the players in exchange for a portion of said play money when said playing piece representing the player is in one of said spaces of one of said regions.
 7. An assembly as set forth in claim 6 wherein each of said trading regions (28) has a name being the name of a city.
 8. An assembly as set forth in claim 3 including a start space (24) defined by one of said spaces for establishing a location to place said playing pieces at a start of the game.
 9. An assembly as set forth in claim 3 including a plurality of commodity cards for representing a purchase of a specified commodity by one of the players.
 10. An assembly as set forth in claim 3 including a plurality of chance spaces (26) each defined by one of said spaces on said board (20) for altering the status of one of the players occupying said chance space (26).
 11. An assembly as set forth in claim 10 including a plurality of chance cards each having an activity listed on one side of said chance card for being drawn by one of the players landing on one of said chance spaces (26).
 12. An assembly as set forth in claim 3 wherein said random number generator is a pair of dice.
 13. A board (20) game assembly for playing a game by a plurality of players comprising; a plurality of playing pieces for representing each of the players, a plurality of play money for distribution to the players, a board (20) having a plurality of spaces defining a continuous path (22) for movement of said playing pieces about said path, a start space (24) defined by one of said spaces for establishing a location to place said playing pieces at a start of the game, a plurality of chance spaces (26) each defined by one of said spaces on said board (20) for altering the status of one of the players occupying said chance space (26), a plurality of chance cards each having an activity listed on one side of said chance card for being drawn by one of the players landing on one of said chance spaces (26), a plurality of trading regions (28) each defined by at least one of said spaces on said board (20) for allowing buying and selling of specified commodities by one of the players in exchange for a portion of said play money when said playing piece representing the player is in one of said spaces of one of said regions, each of said trading regions (28) having a name being the name of a city, a plurality of commodity cards for representing a purchase of a specified commodity by one of the players, a random number generator being a pair of dice for establishing a number of spaces one of the players will move and for establishing a random decision, characterized by a plurality of free trade spaces (30) each defined by one of said spaces on said board (20) for allowing buying and selling of any commodity in exchange for a portion of said play money when the playing piece of one of the players is in one of said free trade spaces (30), a plurality of kill zone spaces (32) each defined by one of said spaces on said board (20) for allowing one of the players to make an assassination attempt on another one of the players in exchange for a portion of said play money, and a plurality of assassination cards each being labeled as one of a plurality of categories for allowing one of the players to choose an assassin having a desired skill level associated with the category for making an assassination attempt, all of said assassination cards in any one of said categories having a group of predetermined numbers indicated on one side of each of said assassination cards for assisting in establishing the random decision of whether the assassination attempt will be successful, whereby the player making the assassination attempt chooses one of said assassination cards and compares a random number generated from said random number generator to said group of predetermined numbers on said assassination cards associated with the desired skill level of the assassin for determining whether the assassination attempt was successful.
 14. A method of playing a board (20) game on a board (20) having a plurality of spaces, the method being performed by a plurality of players comprising the steps of; assigning each player a playing piece, distributing an equal amount of play money to each player, generating a random number to establish a number of spaces to move, moving a playing piece about the board (20) the random number of spaces generated, landing on a end turn space in response to said moving step, and characterized by exchanging a predetermined amount of play money for an assassination card to hire an assassin to make an assassination attempt on another player for receiving an opportunity to eliminate one of the other players from the game.
 15. A method as set forth in claim 14 further comprising choosing a desired skill level of an assassin for choosing the probability that an assassination attempt by the assassin on the other player is successful wherein said exchanging step is further defined as being in response to said choosing step.
 16. A method as set forth in claim 15 wherein said exchanging step is further defined as exchanging a larger amount of play money for a higher desired skill level and exchanging a smaller amount of play money for a lower desired skill level.
 17. A method as set forth in claim 15 further comprising selecting one of the players to attempt to assassinate wherein said choosing step is further defined as being in response to said selecting step.
 18. A method as set forth in claim 17 wherein the board (20) includes a plurality of trading regions (28) with each trading region (28) associated with the selling of a specified commodity and with the buying of a specified commodity and wherein said selecting step is further defined as being in response to the end turn space being in one of the trading regions (28) in which the playing piece of the other players is located.
 19. A method as set forth in claim 18 further comprising determining whether to attempt an assassination on one of the players in response to the end turn space being in one of the trading regions (28) and another one of the playing pieces being located in the same trading region (28) and wherein said selecting step is further defined as being in response to said determining step.
 20. A method as set forth in claim 17 wherein the board (20) includes a plurality of kill zone spaces (32) further comprising determining whether to attempt an assassination on one of the players in response to the end turn space being one of the kill zone space (32) wherein said selecting step is further defined as being in response to said determining step.
 21. A method as set forth in claim 15 further comprising generating a random number to create a random decision as to whether the assassination attempt will be successful.
 22. A method as set forth in claim 21 further comprising comparing the random number generated to a group of predetermined numbers associated with the desired skill level of the assassin chosen in response to said generating step to determine whether the assassination attempt by the assassin was successful.
 23. A method as set forth in claim 22 further comprising eliminating the player against which the assassination attempt was made in response to the random number equaling one of the group of predetermined numbers associated with the desired skill level of the assassin chosen.
 24. A method as set forth in claim 23 wherein said generating a random number step is further defined as generating a random number more likely to eliminate another player in response to a higher skill level and less likely to eliminate another player in response to a lower skill level.
 25. A method as set forth in claim 14 further comprising repeating said generating a random number to establish a number of spaces step until only one player remains.
 26. A method as set forth in claim 14 wherein the board (20) includes a plurality of chance spaces (26) and the game includes a plurality of chance cards each having an activity listed on the chance card further comprising drawing one of the chance cards in response to the end turn space being one of the chance spaces (26).
 27. A method as set forth in claim 26 further comprising performing the activity listed on the chance card in response to said drawing step.
 28. A method as set forth in claim 27 further comprising moving the playing piece about the board (20) the number of spaces listed on the chance card to land on a end turn space in response to the activity listed on the chance card moving one of the playing pieces.
 29. A method as set forth in claim 14 wherein the board (20) includes a plurality of trading regions (28) with each trading region (28) associated with the selling of a specified commodity and with the buying of a specified commodity further comprising buying one of a plurality of commodities to acquire the commodity in response to the end turn space being located in the trading region (28) associated with the buying of the commodity being bought for gaining equity.
 30. A method as set forth in claim 14 wherein the board (20) includes a plurality of trading regions (28) with each trading region (28) associated with the selling of a specified commodity and with the buying of a specified commodity further comprising selling one of a plurality of commodities to acquire play money in response to the end turn space being located in the trading region (28) associated with the selling of the commodity being sold for converting equity into play money.
 31. A method as set forth in claim 14 wherein the board (20) includes a start space (24) further comprising distributing additional play money to the player moving a playing piece in response to the end turn space being the start space (24).
 32. A method as set forth in claim 14 wherein the board (20) includes a plurality of free trade spaces (30) further comprising buying one of a plurality of commodities to acquire the commodity in response to the end turn space being one of the free trade spaces (30) for gaining equity.
 33. A method as set forth in claim 14 wherein the board (20) includes a plurality of free trade spaces (30) further comprising selling at least one of a plurality of commodities to acquire play money in response to the end turn space being one of the trade spaces for converting equity into play money.
 34. A method of playing a board (20) game on a board (20) having a start space (24), a plurality of chance spaces (26), a plurality of kill zone spaces (32), a plurality of free trade spaces (30), and a plurality of trading regions (28) with each trading region (28) associated with the selling of a specified commodity and with the buying of a specified commodity, the method being performed by a plurality of players comprising the steps of; assigning each player a playing piece, distributing an equal amount of play money to each player, generating a random number to establish a number of spaces to move, moving a playing piece about the board (20) the random number of spaces generated, landing on a end turn space in response to said moving step, drawing a chance card having an activity listed on the chance card in response to the end turn space being a chance space (26), performing the activity listed on the chance card in response to said drawing step, moving the playing piece about the board (20) the number of spaces listed on the chance card to land on a end turn space in response to the activity listed on the chance card moving one of the playing pieces, buying one of a plurality of commodities to acquire the commodity in response to the end turn space being located in the trading region (28) associated with the buying of the commodity being bought for gaining equity, selling one of a plurality of commodities to acquire play money in response to the end turn space being located in the trading region (28) associated with the selling of the commodity being sold for converting equity into play money, distributing additional play money to the player moving a playing piece in response to the end turn space being the start space (24), characterized by buying one of the plurality of commodities to acquire the commodity in response to the end turn space being one of the free trade spaces (30) for gaining equity, selling at least one of the plurality of commodities to acquire play money in response to the end turn space being one of the trade spaces for converting equity into play money, determining whether to attempt an assassination on one of the players in response to the end turn space being a kill zone space (32), determining whether to attempt an assassination on one of the players in response to the end turn space being in one of the trading regions (28) and another one of the playing pieces being located in the same trading region (28), selecting one of the players to attempt to assassinate in response to one of said determining steps, selecting another one of the players to attempt to assassinate in response to the end turn space being in one of the trading regions (28) in which the playing piece of the other players is located, choosing a desired skill level of an assassin in response to one of said selecting steps for choosing the probability that an assassination attempt by the assassin on the other player is successful, exchanging a predetermined amount of play money for an assassination card to hire an assassin to make an assassination attempt on another player in response to said choosing step for receiving an opportunity to eliminate one of the other players from the game, said exchanging step being further defined as exchanging a larger amount of play money for a higher desired skill level and exchanging a smaller amount of play money for a lower desired skill level, generating a random number to create a random decision as to whether the assassination attempt will be successful, comparing the random number generated to a group of predetermined numbers associated with the desired skill level of the assassin chosen in response to said generating step to determine whether the assassination attempt by the assassin was successful, eliminating the player against which the assassination attempt was made in response to the random number equaling one of the group of predetermined numbers associated with the desired skill level of the assassin chosen, said generating a random number step being further defined as generating a random number more likely to eliminate another player in response to a higher skill level and less likely to eliminate another player in response to a lower skill level, and repeating said generating a random number to establish a number of spaces step until only one player remains. 